Liverpool’s Premier League title run-in: Analysing each recreation – The Athletic – The Athletic

EPL
If there have been any doubts about whether or not the Premier League title run-in had began, the edgy ambiance at Anfield for the closing phases of Liverpool’s 2-1 victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers dispelled them.
Arne Slot now has an concept of what the title run-in might really feel like on Merseyside, as he confronts the ultimate third of the Premier League season seven factors away from Arsenal, Liverpool’s solely critical challengers.
Evaluating the 2 golf equipment’ remaining fixtures suggests there may be little between them — by way of common place of their opponents, Liverpool (10.8) have a fractionally simpler sequence than Arsenal (10.5)
However that doesn’t inform the entire story. If we take all sides’s remaining away fixtures, the typical place of Liverpool’s opponents rises to 9.3 as 5 of them are within the high 10. Arsenal’s is 11.8, however they need to go to Anfield and third-placed Nottingham Forest. At dwelling, Liverpool have extra beneficial fixtures: 12 to Arsenal’s 9.4.
The Athletic checked out every league fixture Liverpool have remaining and assessed the positives and negatives forward of these matches.
GO DEEPER
Liverpool have to relax
Present place: ninth
Liverpool’s final 5 outcomes v Villa: WDWDW
Motive to be cheerful: Goalscoring has not been a problem for Liverpool at Villa Park or in opposition to Unai Emery’s aspect. They’ve scored three in every of their final two visits they usually haven’t misplaced for the reason that outstanding 7-2 defeat in 2020. They dominated the fixture earlier this season (2-0) and might want to impose themselves once more. 
Motive to be fearful: A midweek match underneath the lights at Villa Park isn’t any simple job for any group. They’ve been an inconsistent aspect, however disappointing outcomes have largely come away from dwelling. Villa haven’t misplaced at dwelling in all competitions for the reason that finish of October.
Present place: 4th
Final 5 outcomes: WDDLW
Motive to be cheerful: This isn’t the Pep Guardiola aspect Liverpool are used to visiting on the Etihad, and the stakes are very completely different. So usually a possible title decider, the one group right here which have title pretensions are Liverpool. Slot’s aspect had been dominant within the reverse fixture and whereas Metropolis appeared extra like themselves within the 4-0 victory over Newcastle last weekend, they’ve been tormented by inconsistency all season.
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Motive to be fearful: The Etihad is Liverpool’s kryptonite, having not gained there within the league since Jurgen Klopp’s first season in cost in 2015. They nonetheless have gamers of top quality equivalent to Erling Haaland, and January addition Nico Gonzalez’s efficiency in opposition to Newcastle supplied them the form of management they’ve missed in Rodri’s absence.
Present place: seventh
Final 5 outcomes: DWWWW
Motive to be cheerful: Historical past is in Liverpool’s favour: they’re unbeaten in opposition to Newcastle in 16 matches and haven’t misplaced to them at Anfield within the league since 1994. The preview of the Carabao Cup ultimate will likely be one other robust contest, however Liverpool ought to be a lot better ready and know what to anticipate from their opponents. Regardless of Liverpool being under their finest within the 3-3 draw earlier this season, they nonetheless had been solely a late goalkeeping misjudgement away from successful.
Motive to be fearful: Alexander Isak. He’s been Newcastle’s X issue all season and is able to successful video games on his personal. That attract December was one of many hardest video games of the season and Liverpool struggled in opposition to Newcastle’s aggressive method. You’d anticipate the sport plan to stay the identical as Liverpool attain the tip of a gruelling 5 video games in simply over two weeks. They will’t afford to be sluggish once more.
Present place: twentieth
Final 5 outcomes: WDWWW
Motive to be cheerful: Southampton are competing to be statistically the worst aspect in Premier League historical past. On paper, that is Liverpool’s best remaining fixture remaining by a distance.
Motive to be fearful: There shouldn’t be any. Complacency is the one actual enemy for Slot and his gamers right here, even when Southampton did make life awkward for them on the south coast in November. Liverpool have to kill the sport shortly and supply no encouragement.
Present place: 14th
Final 5 outcomes: DLWWD
Motive to be cheerful: Liverpool have dominated this fixture at Anfield in recent times. They’ve a rating to settle, too, after James Tarkowski’s last-minute equaliser, Abdoulaye Doucoure’s antagonising celebrations and their frustrations with the refereeing efficiency in the return game earlier this month.
Motive to be fearful: It’s the Merseyside derby and one other alternative for his or her closest rivals — in nice type underneath David Moyes — to derail their title cost. It is going to be filled with emotion, however Liverpool have to rise above it and play the sport on their phrases.
Present place: eighth
Final 5 outcomes: DWWWD
Motive to be cheerful: Liverpool had been capable of dominate Fulham within the second half of the 2-2 draw this season regardless of solely having 10 males and haven’t misplaced at Craven Cottage since 2011.
Motive to be fearful: Marco Silva units up his aspect shrewdly, they usually have high quality in attacking areas. Adama Traore’s tempo, for one factor, will pose a take a look at to Andy Robertson on Liverpool’s left flank. Solely two groups have misplaced fewer league video games this season.
Present place: sixteenth
Final 5 outcomes: WDWWW
Motive to be cheerful: Liverpool have performed West Ham twice this season, as soon as within the league and as soon as within the Carabao Cup. They’ve scored 10 targets in complete and totally dominated.
Motive to be fearful: Hopefully, they haven’t used all their targets up… That mentioned, it will likely be a special model of West Ham with Graham Potter now in cost they usually do have a squad sprinkled with attacking high quality that may produce a second like Matheus Cunha did for Wolves. Mohammed Kudus and Jarrod Bowen, specifically, are threats that should be guarded in opposition to.
Present place: nineteenth
Final 5 outcomes: WWWWL
Motive to be cheerful: Leicester, together with the remainder of the promoted sides, are staring relegation within the face. They battle to attain and concede targets — and Ruud van Nistelrooy’s tenure has failed to supply an uplift.
Motive to be fearful: Jordan Ayew’s early purpose within the December fixture was an alarming second and Slot’s aspect struggled to interrupt the away aspect down in a limp first half. The relegation battle at all times leads to a couple shock outcomes; Liverpool simply want to ensure it doesn’t come in opposition to them.
Present place: twelfth
Final 5 outcomes: WWLWW
Motive to be cheerful: Ange Postecoglou’s aspect had been outplayed, outclassed and dispatched earlier this month as Liverpool booked their place within the Carabao Cup ultimate with a dominant 4-0 semi-final second-leg victory. Spurs will at all times cough up probabilities and Liverpool’s assault ought to be licking their lips.
Motive to be fearful: Tottenham ought to arrive at Anfield with lots of the key gamers they’ve been with out in latest weeks and months, particularly in defence. That may make them a special proposition to the patched-up aspect that not too long ago got here to Merseyside and, for all their frailties, that is nonetheless a group that may rating targets.
Present place: sixth
Final 5 outcomes: WWDDD
Motive to be cheerful: After wanting like potential title contenders in 2024, Chelsea have light in latest months and are combating to safe a Champions League spot as an alternative. They’ve had issues defensively and in purpose, and striker Nicolas Jackson’s damage means they carry much less of a risk, with Cole Palmer unable to hold the load alone. They give the impression of being a shadow of the outfit that dominated intervals of the sport at Anfield in October.
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Motive to be fearful: Stamford Bridge is at all times a tricky away journey no matter type and Liverpool’s file there may be mediocre. There may be an unpredictability about Chelsea on a week-to-week foundation. Their expertise means collective and particular person brilliance is feasible they usually had been one of many hardest exams Slot and his gamers have confronted this season.
Present place: 2nd
Final 5 outcomes: DLDDL
Motive to be cheerful: If Liverpool had been capable of keep the lead they at the moment have, then that will put all of the strain on Arsenal to return to Anfield and win — one thing they haven’t accomplished since 2012. There may be additionally a world the place it might come too late and the league has already been determined.
Motive to be fearful: This might be the title decider. If there are twists and turns that favour Arsenal, proper it may all come right down to this recreation. Bear in mind Michael Thomas and 1989? A 2-0 Arsenal win at Anfield snatched the First Division within the ultimate recreation of the season. It gained’t be as dramatic, nevertheless it may have the identical consequence.
Present place: tenth
Final 5 outcomes: WWDLD
Motive to be cheerful: Apart from hoping the earlier recreation has gone to plan, Brighton are a aspect that wish to go toe-to-toe with opponents in a footballing sense. The tactical tweaks and second-half adjustments Slot made within the 2-1 victory in November modified the sport. It was an essential lesson and it ought to assist preparations.
Motive to be fearful: Fabian Hurzeler’s aspect outplayed Liverpool within the first 45 minutes of the match earlier this season they usually had been unlucky to not have an even bigger lead at half-time, repeatedly slicing via their opponents and creating some glorious probabilities. Brighton are inconsistent, but when their attackers are firing then they’re a power.
Present place: thirteenth
Final 5 outcomes: WLWDD
Motive to be cheerful: Hopefully this will likely be a day of celebration. No telephone checking, no nervousness, no Ilkay Gundogan and Manchester Metropolis inflicting mayhem. Even when Liverpool want a outcome, they are going to be robust favourites — and on ultimate days of latest seasons, have at all times accomplished their job, even when it has led to nothing.
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Motive to be fearful: Palace’s 1-0 victory final season was the beginning of Liverpool’s slide out of title rivalry. They’ve had a unusually outstanding function in a few of Liverpool’s largest latest setbacks, coming from 3-0 down to attract 3-3 because the title ebbed away in 2013-14, spoiling Steven Gerrard’s Anfield farewell by successful 3-1 in 2015 and inflicting a primary Liverpool defeat for Klopp a yr later.
(Prime picture: Darren Staples/AFP through Getty Pictures)
Andrew Jones is a Employees Author for The Athletic overlaying Burnley FC and Liverpool FC. Having graduated from the College of Central Lancashire with a First Class Honours Diploma in Sports activities Journalism, Andrew has had written work revealed for the Liverpool Echo, Chelsea FC and Preston North Finish. Observe Andy on Twitter @adjones_journo

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